Starvation in Niger - Capitalism Not Famine

For weeks now we have been hearing almost daily about the starving children (and adults) in Niger. We have heard that emergency food relief is rushing to the region - after months of doing nothing. The focus in the news is on drought and famine as the source of this human catastrophe. While that has certainly undermined the ability of the poor to feed themselves, it is not the root of the problem. That lies in free market capitalism as the cultural (and economic) ideology that will "save" the world. Well, it is not working in Niger, nor in other areas of Africa where a food crisis 'runs across Africa'.

There is more than enough food, it is just that the poor have no money to buy it. Markets are overflowing with food desperately needed just a few minutes away. Yet a global effort is underway to get food to those starving in the midst of plenty.

As Jeervan Vasagar notes:

"The starvation in Niger is not the inevitable consequence of poverty, or simply the fault of locusts or drought. It is also the result of a belief that the free market can solve the problems of one of the world's poorest countries."

Capitalism has both driven up prices of food beyond the reach of the poor, and stymied efforts to relieve that inequity. Neither the government of Niger, nor the United Nations, has been willing to give free food to those who are starving for fear of disrupting Niger's new capitalism.

"The UN, whose World Food Programme distributes emergency supplies in other hunger-stricken parts of Africa, also declined to distribute free food. The reason given was that interfering with the free market could disrupt Niger's development out of poverty." (Vasagar)

Under this "new capitalism" prices have skyrocketed, profiteering is the name of the game, and fear of disrupting Niger's "progress" is resulting in the deaths of thousands. A high price indeed to join the "community" of nations. The government of Niger refused to give free food to avert the current disaster because it didn't want to disrupt its "market" nor the European Union and the United States who feel that free market capitalism is the solution to poverty. For the same reason, UN action was blocked. Now that it is too late for many, and lifetime consequences for the surviving is ensured, both Niger's government and the UN are finally (trying to) deliver free food.

Ironically, aid at this point may actually make the problem worse. The already high price for food is shooting up as people try to get even more profit from aid groups buying food locally. This will likely put food beyond the reach of even more people than are already excluded from survival. Profit! Isn't that what free market capitalism is about?

What is happening in Niger, and across Africa, is a direct effect of globalization and the spread (and enforcement) of an idea that capitalism is the solution to all problems. While not stated in the articles cited, my guess is that part of the reluctance to act is tied to development funds that Niger has received from the World Bank and the IMF. Social service cuts, and limits on "food security" are common aspects of "structural adjustment programs." Given that Niger is dependent upon the good graces of the EU and US, even more incentive exists for turning away from those in need. Globalization, and the policies driving it, also undermine cultural responses to disaster as communities and families are broken and social support networks erode.

There is a tremendous gap here. There is a gap between the reality of what is playing out in Niger and the spin. There is a gap between a focus on "terrorism" while writing off the deliberate starvation of tens of thousands in the interest of an ideology - an ideology that kills hundreds of thousands of people every year. When those people left behind stand up and shout for human rights (like being able to eat) they are labeled as dissidents, militants, or terrorists.

I am not advocating, nor supporting, the actions of those who randomly kill for whatever reason. I am saying that if the world is truly concerned about "global terrorism," then it needs to seriously address the inequality that drives far too many to desperation while a handful profit.

Posted by rowan at August 11, 2005 9:29 AM | [eMail this article!] |